A simple pleasure for many, hot showers are the perfect way to start the day. They're great for relaxing after you've had a workout, and they're even better for winding down before bed.
But the question is still up in the air: Are hot showers bad for you? The shortest answer is that while hot showers can give you amazing benefits such as muscle relaxation and stress relief, they can also have negative effects on your skin, hair, and overall health.
Understanding those disadvantages can help you strike that balance that you've been looking for and make the right adjustments to your shower routine.
Are Hot Showers Bad?
No, hot showers are not inherently bad, but they can pose some of the risks to your skin depending on how hot you have them and how often you take them. Excessively hot water, as you may already know, can lead to skin dehydration and irritation, and it can damage your hair.
The key here really does lie in moderation. According to most dermatologists, the maximum recommended hot water temperature for showering is around 105°F (41°C) to avoid damaging your skin. Dermatologists will often recommend showering with lukewarm water between 37° and 40°.
This temperature range gives your skin the chance to preserve its natural oils while reducing the risk of dryness and irritation. So, while hot showers are not entirely harmful, they do require some consideration to avoid those drawbacks we've already listed.
Why Are Hot Showers Bad For You?
Hot showers can feel very relaxing, but possible unintended consequences for your skin, hair, and even your heart health should be noted. Here is a breakdown of the potential disadvantages of having showers that are far too hot.
1. Skin Dehydration
One of the most notable drawbacks of hot showers that are too hot is skin dehydration. Too much hot water on the surface of the skin can strip the skin of the natural oils known as sebum.
The sebum acts as a protective barrier, keeping you hydrated and moisturized. Without this barrier, you are more prone to dryness, flaking, and itchiness, and over time, this can lead to premature aging, which is not the goal.
2. Skin Irritation
Too much hot water on the skin can exacerbate skin sensitivity, leading to irritation and redness. This is especially problematic for those who deal with eczema, rosacea, acne, or psoriasis. Hot water can trigger flare-ups and worsen those symptoms.
If you deal with skin that often feels tight or inflamed after a hot shower, it's a good sign that the temperature may be a little too high, and you should turn it down.
3. Hair Damage
Hot water doesn't just affect your skin in a negative way, but it can also harm your hair. If you're trying to maintain healthy, thick hair, then hot showers can weaken your hair strands. Hot water strips away those natural oils and leads to brittleness and dryness.
If you have long hair or curly hair, you can end up with increased breakage and split ends.
4. Hair Color Fading
When you pay a lot of money to have your hair color treated, you then have to reconsider the temperature of your shower.
Hot water can cause the cuticle layer of the hair to open and allow color molecules to wash out fast. This results in a faster fading of dyed hair, which will impact your wallet over the year.
5. Increased Blood Pressure
Hot showers temporarily increase your blood pressure, and this is due to the dilation of the blood vessels in the skin. While this may not be a massive concern for most people, it could pose a heavy risk for those with pre-existing heart conditions.
If you get out of a hot shower and you feel lightheaded or dizzy, it may be worth lowering the water temperature to see if that makes a difference.
6. Worsening of Certain Skin Conditions
If you are dealing with skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea, hot water can increase inflammation and dry out your skin. Frequent exposure to higher temperatures can also make acne-prone skin more sensitive.
This leads to increased redness and irritation, which is something you may be trying to avoid.
7. Environmental Impact
Beyond that, it affects your personal health. Hot showers do have a notable environmental impact. Heating water takes a lot of energy, and longer, hotter showers increase both your water and energy usage.
If you turn down the temperature, you'll take quicker showers, and you'll have less of an impact on your local environment.
What Are the Benefits of Hot Showers?
There are some noted disadvantages to having hot showers that are too hot, but they do come with their fair share of benefits. When done in moderation, they can be a therapeutic and enjoyable experience, and here are some of the benefits of hot showers below.
Muscle Relaxation
The warmth of a hot shower can really help to soothe tired muscles. If you're looking to alleviate tension, then having that hot water streaming onto your muscles can really help.
This makes hot showers beneficial after a workout or a long day because the heat will promote the blood flow to those sore areas and improve recovery times.
Stress Relief
Hot water has a calming effect, and it can work wonders for mental well-being. The sensation of warm water can really reduce your stress levels, and it can help you unwind after a very long day.
Improved Circulation
The heat in a hot shower can temporarily dilate your blood vessels, which improves circulation throughout your body. This boost in blood flow can really deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, which can aid in healing.
Better Sleep
A hot shower before you go to bed tells your body that it's time to relax and prepare to sleep. The heat raises your body temperature, and as it cools down afterward, the production of melatonin is triggered.
This is the hormone that regulates sleep and leads to more restorative sleep, too.
Respiratory Benefits
The steam emissions from a hot shower can offer relief for those who deal with sinus congestion or respiratory issues. Steam helps to open up the nasal passages and soothe irritated airways.
You should consider using a shower filter to reduce potential exposure from inhaling chlorine and other irritants in the steam produced by the hot shower.
Enhanced Skin Cleansing
Hot water works to open up your pores, which helps to remove dirt, oil, and other impurities. This leads to a deeper cleanse and skin that feels fresher for longer.
Alleviation of Cold Symptoms
If you're feeling stuffed up and congested, hot showers can provide temporary relief from those symptoms of the common cold.
Can Showerhead Filters Mitigate the Negative Effects of Hot Showers?
If you love the comfort of a hot shower but worry about the possible negative effects that we've listed in this article, incorporating a showerhead filter into your bathroom setup can make a big difference.
Showerhead filters are designed to improve water quality, and they work to reduce harmful impurities such as chlorine, sediments, and heavy metals. These things can exacerbate the adverse effects of hot water on the skin, hair, and overall health.
Here are some other ways that showerhead filters can mitigate the negative effects of hot showers.
- Skin dryness and irritation. Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect water, but it can really strip away those natural oils in your skin. Shower head filters reduce chlorine levels, which allows your skin to retain its natural oil and keep its protective barrier.
- Protecting your hair. If the water contains hard minerals like calcium and magnesium, then your hair is going to feel weaker, and the hot shower will weaken the strands and strip them of their moisture. By using a shower head filter, you can reduce these hard water minerals and enjoy softer, more manageable hair.
- Protecting your scalp. A shower head filter reduces irritants like chlorine, as we discussed, so that ensures your scalp stays hydrated and balanced. This creates an optimal environment for healthy hair growth.
- Improving respiratory comfort. Filtered water can make a significant difference for those who love steaming hot showers to be inhaled. The steam that you breathe in during a hot shower can contain chlorine and other chemicals, but with a filter, you reduce that risk.
- Softer, healthier skin. Filtered water feels noticeably softer on the skin, and you can smell the fresh water instead of chlorine. Shower head filters can help your skin retain its moisture and improve its texture when it's filtered out chlorine, other chemicals, and potential toxins.
Balancing Comfort and Care in Your Shower Routine
Continue to enjoy the perks of hot showers while minimizing any risks. Choose lukewarm water temperatures most of the time. Consider investing in an AquaBliss shower head filter as well so that you can balance comfort and care without compromising your skin, hair, or the environment.
To learn more about AquaBliss shower head filters and how they can enhance your beauty and health benefits, visit our Shower Filter page. Take that first step towards healthier, more refreshing showers today.
